Holiday cottage equipment....

[1hamwich4]

Just want a second opinion here. There is no drama, no outrage, no tragedy. We will not be complaining or anything. Yes, it is a first world issue.

We have just arrived at our holiday cottage. It is in the middle of a National Park, first week of the school hols, so not particularly cheap.

Which of these items would you expect to find in your cottage?

1. A few Tea bags
2. Pint of milk
3. Toilet roll
4. Guest soap
5. Washing up liquid/few dishwasher tablets
6. WiFi

If you can be bothered please tell me the order of likelihood that you might expect these in. I'm curious to know whether my reaction on arrival was reasonable or not...

toilet roll and soap. No wifi unless advertised as having free wifi.

But yes, have stayed in self catering that has done more - left a bottle of wine and chocolates etc - always hugely appreciated, adds to the experience and makes us more inclined to go back and recommend. But never expect it.

I'm amazed anyone would expect WiFi unless they knew when they booked that the cottage had it. In my experience it's always stated in the general blurb about the cottage, along with information about whether there's a TV/DVD/washing machine/dishwasher etc.

I would always expect some loo roll, anything else is a bonus.

We recently stopped in a caravan on a private park booked via Hoseasons. Luckily I checked that I needed to take towels, otherwise we would have been stuck. They provided nothing.

Everything else is not and miss. I go expecting nothing and end up not being shocked or being pleasantly surprised. We take bits and bobs with us that I think we'll need or make sure it is on the online shop - sandwich bags, tin foil, d/w tablets etc.

We won't have Wi-Fi this year again, this isn't too bad but last year the 3g signal was rubbish, which just made checking the weather/places to go more difficult. I am in 2 minds about the unavailability of Wi-Fi though.

one group of places used to do a pint of milk a pack of biscuits, soap in a bottle, loo roll in everyloo, (had to buy own after the first) teabags and coffee sachets.

I would expect loo roll, washing up liquid, sponge, disposable cloth

dishwasher tabs are a bonus.

sometimew you pay for towels sometimes not.

I didn't know that about the dishwasher tablets lapsed - so it's ok for the warning lights to be on? Does that mean we shouldn't bother using the salt and rinse aid at home?

At least UK is generally better than France. I refuse now to rent from a French company or person ( what a delightful xenophobe I am!) because literally nothing is included and stuff that we Brits take for granted you know like sheets and electricity are not guaranteed. For one years ski trip it was really annoying as I'd priced up the apartment versus a very nice self catering hotel and went for the apartment. What I'd not bargained for is the sheets/towels/cleaning cost, not to mention having to organise a review of the apartment before we were allowed to leave on the final morning where the lady moaned about the state of the apartment (perfectly acceptable) despite the fact we'd paid for the cleaning anyway.

We stayed in a cottage in North Cornwall last week and were pleasantly surprised to be provided with:

1. Tea, coffee and sugar
2. Pint of fresh local milk in fridge
3. Tin of shortbread biscuits
4. Kitchen roll, foil, dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, cleaning materials (all Eco brands)
5. Loo rolls (2)
6. Hand soap, plus miniatures of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion.
7. Hand towels, bath towels, flannels, bath mat, robes and tea towels.

However this was a 5 star cottage which we only booked because it was the only available option at the last minute. and eye-wateringly expensive

Usually the only thing I would 'expect' from your list is a loo roll.

I don't think the welcome pack was stingy - it's a bonus!

The loo roll is so you're not caught short in an emergency - it's not meant to accommodate a multi-person outbreak of the squits.

Would only expect Wifi if explicitly paid for.
Would not assume any of the others would be there.

If don't put salt or rinse aid in my own dishwasher as the water is so soft they aren't required. No compromise to cleaning. Perhaps this is the case in the cottages you have visited?

We have stopped many times at a cottage on a working farm (so owners on site) It is wonderful, fresh flowers, a full welcome tray, pint of milk, cleaning stuff, Wi-Fi, sky, and a bottle of wine (though we tell them not to bother for us as we don't drink) I don't get that elsewhere though. We tend to go back to places if we can. This summer will be our 2nd year at this cottage and I hope we can go back the next few years. Though she did seem a bit surprised we were returning guests when I booked for this year.

only wifi if specified in the details.
maybe loo roll with a few sheets left.
it's not a hotel.

Very interesting thread from a UK holiday cottage owners perspective.

I provide all on your list (+ coffee and Earl Grey tea) except milk but you will find emergency UHT pots and some individual packets of biscuits. you'll also get kitchen roll, foil and cling film (oh and a basket of logs, kindling and firelighters in case you want to use the wood burner - even in August!)

None of those really, tho the cottage we always used to stay in put out a welcome tray with tea bags and dishwasher tablet. There is often washing up liquid left from a previous tenant IME. I always buy some tho along with everything else I need. Do people not do this - we either stop en route to go to Aldi or have a Tesco delivery. You need your first night's meal and tomorrow's breakfast anyway so you are going to have to go to the shop. I always take a small box of flour, tub of curry powder, small bottle of oil, garlic, my own weird tea and any other bits I don't want to buy full size.

Never expect loo roll or soap and only wifi if advertised. I also always take towels and tea towels. And sharp knives. We travel prepared!

I would expect some loo roll and maybe washing up liquid.

I'd expect cleaning items such as bleach etc. too.

I most definitely not expect milk, tea bags and stuff like that.

We've stayed in a variety of self-catering over the years and the only time tea bags/coffee was provided was when it had been left by previous tenants.

Mind you, I may be out of touch because now that we are middle aged and just have ourselves to fund on holiday we don't do self-catering!

We stay in cottages all the time and usually on arrival the owners have left a welcome basket with a few basics, milk, bread teabags and a few local treats, especially if in a remote area. I would expect all of the above apart from wifi unless advertised.

We stayed in a lovely cottage via National Trust a few years ago which had a welcome tray but also cupboards full of bits left by other visitors - just like a home store cupboard. Which made me a million times more likely to leave our left overs.

On holiday this week my DC were gifted rings and balls by departing families so we passed those on plus buckets & spades, toiletries and washing powder as we left.

In our holiday cottage you will find tea, coffee, sugar, nespresso pods and machine, oil, salt, pepper, ketchup, mayo, soy sauce, vinegar, clingfilm, tinfoil, dishy tabs, tons of loo roll, washing powder and softener, hand soap, washing up liquid, a landline phone (mobiles don't work well), fast wifi with no download limits, and a sky subscription.

We don't do pints of milk, but I will add that to the list for future reference! We always leave a bottle of wine or some cold beers.

Currently in a gite in France where there was only a small amount of loo roll and some washing up liquid (gite run by English couple living next door). The only food stuff in the cupboards was salt and pepper. And despite it being a gite for the 10 of us the owners were expecting (only 8 of us could come in the end) there are only three tiny saucepans for making meals, no bowls for salad or fruit or holding any foodstuffs or a jug even. Even though there are 10 dinner plates and bowls.
There is wifi though - unexpectedly - so

We have been to gites/cottages fully equipped in the kitchen and with basic condiments in the cupboards and a bottle of wine and homemade jam/homegrown fruit/tomatoes left for us. When you're paying a huge amount for the cottage I think it is only decent to provide a place that isn't stripped of everything but the utter basics.

We are in France now...
Week 1 we had
*loo roll, kitchen roll, silver foil, cling film, bbq charcoal, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, stock cubes, various tins, beer in fridge, bottles of water, box of biscuits, coffee ( instant and ground) tea bags, chocolate powder, dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, hand soap, mosquito coils and citronella tealights. No wifi, milk, hot water(!!!)
Week 2 ( arrived today)
*kitchen roll, loo roll, milk and wine in fridge, ice cubes in freezer, dishwasher tablets, washing powder tabs x4, wifi, tea bags, coffee, salt, pepper, silver foil, cling film, shower gel and shampoo

All of them.

We rented a place in Devon and it even had wine in the fridge, a box of posh biscuits and 2 vases of fresh flowers!

Far more than we expected but very nice.

We did stop in one that left things for the children too - a carton of juice, a packet of crisps and a chocolate biscuit. It was a lovely touch. Sadly we outgrew it as it was only 2+2+baby.

Impressive mrsp. We stay in 3/4/5*campsites. You have to take your own loo roll and soap into the loos every time in most of them. Bit of a pain and massively unhygienic. Just back from a long holiday in France. I was the only one I saw taking soap. In 5 weeks.

Loo roll and wifi if i'd booked it or it was free.

Should clarify - French campsites.